Territory: 25 679 sq. M. km
Population: 1 478 818 people, of which 75,45% are city residents.
Geographical position: the region is located in the center of the East European Plain. Borders: in the south and southeast - with the Lipetsk region, in the south-west - with the Oryol region, in the west and north-west - with the Kaluga region, in the north and north-east - with the Moscow region, in the east - with the Ryazan region ...
Climate: moderately continental, characterized by moderately cold winters and warm summers. Average annual temperatures range from +4 to +5 degrees. The average temperature in January is from -9 to -12 degrees, in July from +18 to +22 degrees. The duration of the period with positive temperatures is 220-225 days. Precipitation within the region is distributed unevenly. Most of them are in the northwestern regions (575 mm), the smaller - in the southeastern regions (470 mm). One third of all precipitation in the region is recorded in the summer months, mainly in July. In the frost-free period, 70% of the annual precipitation falls. By the end of winter, the thickness of the snow cover reaches 0,3-0,7 m, the soils freeze to a depth of 0,6-0,9 m.
Relief: flat and hilly. The main surface forms are river valleys and watersheds.
Soils: soddy-podzolic in the northwest, gray forest soils in the central part, degraded and leached chernozems in the south.
The area of agricultural land: 1972,9 thousand hectares. Arable land occupies 1556,3 thousand ha.
This is not the first time that the Tula region’s achievements in the field of potato growing have been covered in our magazine, which is not at all surprising: the region has been confidently taking silver for the eighth year in a row in terms of potato production in Russia. The average annual production of this crop is 2012 thousand tons, the average annual consumption of potatoes for industrial cultivation is at the level of 454,5 thousand tons.
Let us dwell on the results of the last three years. In 2017, 16,2 thousand ha were allotted for industrial potato cultivation in the region. Gross harvest amounted to 518,8 thousand tons. In 2018, the area under potatoes remained almost at the same level (16,0 thousand ha). But the season turned out to be not the most favorable in weather conditions: very dry, less than a quarter of the expected amount of precipitation fell. Only enterprises with irrigation equipment were able to get a good harvest. Gross harvest decreased to 431,7 thousand tons.
This year, the potato planting area has grown to 18,2 thousand ha. As of October 31, 2019, large and medium-sized farms had accumulated 555,0 thousand tons of product.
Reclamation Development
Land reclamation, in combination with the use of modern agricultural technologies and technical means, highly productive varieties and hybrids, effective fertilizers and plant protection products, is recognized as the most important way to ensure high yields in the Non-Black Earth Zone (which includes the Tula Region).
According to statistics, currently in the Tula region there are 20,9 thousand hectares of land reclaimed, of which 20,4 thousand hectares are agricultural. Irrigated agricultural lands occupy an area of 15,9 thousand hectares, drained - 4,5 thousand hectares. Satisfactory land reclamation is observed on 14,5 thousand hectares, unsatisfactory
- by 6,4 thousand hectares. Reclamation systems on irrigated lands include: 728,30 km of closed and 183,9 km of open irrigation networks, ponds - 32, other structures
- 97 units Reclamation systems on drained lands include: 122,7 km of collector and drainage network and 264,4 km of open drainage canals, various types of structures - 102 units.
The region has a subprogram “Development of land reclamation of agricultural land in the Tula region for the period 2014-2021”. The key tasks of the subprogram are: preventing the abandonment of agricultural land from agricultural circulation and increasing the volume of production of the main types of crop production.
In 2019, the Tula region received 104 580,5 thousand rubles from the federal budget as part of the federal target program for the development of land reclamation for agricultural purposes. Regional funding for the program amounted to 38 thousand rubles. Thus, the total funding amounted to 680,5 thousand rubles.
These funds are used to pay subsidies to agricultural producers. Subsidies are provided for the construction, reconstruction, technical re-equipment of land reclamation systems for general and individual use and separately located hydraulic structures and can reach 70% of the total cost indicated in the design estimates (but not more actually incurred).
INCREASING SOIL FERTILITY
The solution of problems to increase cultivated areas and increase crop production is also impossible without systematic work to increase soil fertility.
Thanks to the soil deoxidation program in the region, over the past three years, farmers have returned 135 thousand hectares of unused agricultural land to circulation. Thus, the region received a record sown area in 15 years.
But the problem is still acute. According to the Tula Center for Chemicalization and Agricultural Radiology, on the territory of the region as of January 1, 2019, out of 731,80 thousand hectares of studied soils of arable land and fallow lands, 600,80 thousand hectares are acidic, requiring liming. It requires the introduction of mineral and organic fertilizers, large-scale anti-radiation measures aimed primarily at liming acidic soils and the introduction of increased doses of potash fertilizers.
In 2019, liming events are held on another 30 thousand hectares of land. For example, in the Chernsky district, the relevant work was organized by the Miratorg-Orel (on an area of 2961 hectares) and Avangard-Agro-Tula (1000 hectares) companies.
SELECTION AND SEEDING
The cultivation of seed potatoes is one of the important areas of work of the Tula Research Institute of Agriculture, a branch of the Nemchinovka Federal Research Center.
Each year, the Primary Seed Research Department of the Research Institute of Agriculture assesses 25-30 varieties of potatoes by a set of economically valuable traits, including resistance to biotic and abiotic stress factors. The Institute propagates and produces elite potato seeds. This year, buyers can purchase seed potatoes of the varieties Udacha, Rosara, Lyubava, Kolobok, Krepysh, Red Scarlett, Bryansk delicacy, Ladoga, Golubizna, Lilac fog, Nakra, Kurazh, Zhigulevsky.
Also in the region there are a number of specialized farms specializing in the cultivation of seed potatoes.
One of the largest is OOO Bogoroditskiy Alliance. It accounts for about 70% of the total volume of seed potatoes produced in the Tula land. Every year, the company's specialists carefully select the most valuable, promising varieties of the best European breeding brands for breeding. In the current season, the company offers seed material of Dutch and German varieties: Red Sonja, Nandina, Vineta, Koroleva Anna, Bellarosa, Evolution, Artemis, Picasso, Arizona, Damaris, Christel, Paroli.
For more than twenty years, Yegorsha farm has been engaged in seed production of potatoes. The farm produces seed potatoes of the varieties Meteor, Zhukovsky early, Luck, Bullfinch, Red Scarlett, Ryabinushka, Aurora, Lugovsky, Blue.
In addition, the specialists of the enterprise carry out selection work. Peasant farm "Yegorsha" takes part in the subprogram "Development of potato breeding and seed production in the Russian Federation" within the framework of the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Agriculture for 2017-2025. The theme of the complex scientific and technical project is "Creation and seed production of new Russian competitive varieties of potatoes for various purposes." The goal of the project is to create Russian varieties of potatoes with increased nutritional value and characteristics that can meet the highest consumer demand.
PERSONNEL TRAINING
Mid-level specialists in the region are trained by the Tula Agricultural College named after I.S. Efanov and the Agricultural College "Bogoroditsky" named after I.A. Stebut.
The Tula Agricultural College named after IS Efanov has been known since 1875 (then the educational institution was called "Tula Real School"). Now the college is a multidisciplinary, multilevel state professional educational institution.
Main specialties: "Agronomy", "Agricultural mechanization", "Electrification and automation of agriculture", "Technology of production and processing of agricultural products", "Economics and accounting in agriculture", "Operational activities in logistics", "Commerce ( by industry) ”,“ Law and organization of social security ”,“ Operation and repair of agricultural machinery and equipment ”, etc.
The technical school also provides primary vocational education and vocational training in working professions (under the programs "Tractor-driver-machine operator of agricultural production", "Master of agricultural production"). The college has 890 students.
The state professional educational institution of the Tula region "Agricultural College" Bogoroditsky "named after I.A. Stebut" was founded in 1898. The college conducts training in the following specialties: "Agricultural Mechanization", "Electrification and Automation of Agriculture", "Operation and Repair of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment", "Land Relations", "Veterinary Medicine", "Zootechnics".
Higher education in agriculture can be obtained at Tula State Pedagogical University. Leo Tolstoy. The university invites future agrarians to enter the Faculty of Technology and Business, the direction of training "Agricultural Engineering" (profile "Technical Systems in Agribusiness").
PROCESSING
In the Tula region, one of the largest regions in terms of potato production in Russia, much attention is paid to the development of the processing direction.
Since 2011, the region has been operating the plant for the production of potato flakes LLC Maxim Gorky Plus. During its operation, the company doubled its production capacity and today occupies a leading position in its niche in the country. Each year, the plant produces about 15 tons of potato flakes, the products meet the requirements of the international certification scheme FSSC 000.
According to the results of the past season (2018-2019), the company processed more than 117 tons of potatoes, of which 000 tons of finished product were obtained. Each month, the plant produces about 14 tons of packaged products under its own brand name “Pyureshka”.
The company's customers in Russia are large food producers: LLC Unilever Rus, LLC Nestle Russia, LLC TPK Biofood, LLC Doshirak Koya, LLC Ruskart and many others. At least 40% of the manufactured products are monthly delivered abroad.
In the near future, the largest potato producer in the region, the farm of Manuk Avetisyan, plans to open its own plant for the production of potato flakes. In June 2019, at the XXMI St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, a corresponding agreement was signed between the Government of the Tula Region and individual entrepreneur M.Zh. Avetisyan. The volume of investments in the project will amount to 1,5 billion rubles.
For 2020, the region plans to launch a high-tech plant for processing fruits and vegetables and potatoes at Miratorg Agribusiness Holding. The company, whose estimated capacity will be 45 thousand tons per year, will work for the needs of retail and catering establishments. Investments will amount to about 1,28 billion rubles.
The project for the processing of fruits and vegetables will become part of a vertically integrated production of an agricultural holding, including the cultivation of potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic on an area of more than 3 thousand hectares, as well as the storage and packaging of processed vegetables.
GASTROFESTIVAL
There is no monument to potatoes in Tula yet, but this does not mean that this culture is not respected in the region. They can’t do without potatoes on weekdays or on holidays. So, on the City Day, which Tula celebrates on the first weekend of September, for many years in a row all guests of the holiday are sure to be treated to fresh potato dishes.
This year, too, at the gastro festival organized by the city authorities, the main role was, of course, played by potatoes - fried, baked with cream, in the filling of pies and pasties - very tasty - also because they grew up in local fields.